Head East Africa at Swiss Re

Job description

South Africa - Cape Town

Corporate Title: Vice President

Division: BCE-Europe, Middle East & Africa (50002025)

Department: BCEA-Middle East & Africa Region (50001365)

Recruiter: Stefanie Weigelt

About The Role

The responsibility of the Head East Africa is to enable and drive the profitable and sustainable growth of the reinsurance business within the region. This is achieved by representing and overseeing all of Swiss Re's reinsurance products and solutions for the short-term (P&C) and long-term (L&H) insurance market, including innovative, non-traditional as well as structured solutions. S/he provides leadership, vision, purpose and structure to meet the clients' requirements with a commercial focus.

The position holder will be acting as key representative of Swiss Re in the East African region for clients and external stakeholders such as media, policy makers, regulators or NGOs.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Represents the Swiss Re group in the markets, contributes to positioning the company as industry leader and preserves Swiss Re's reputation and brand in the region.
• Overall responsibility for the P&L of the L&H and P&C business in the East African region.
• Enables and drives the origination and growth of reinsurance business.
• Expands Swiss Re's footprint in key markets, including relationship and network strengthening with public sector, financial institutions, regulators and key stakeholders in the industry and business community.
• Shapes, implements and owns sub-regional market and client strategy in alignment with all relevant stakeholders and Swiss Re's overall MEA business strategy; understands and leverages market trends and developments.
• Drives client and regulator engagement (and other stakeholder management).
• Ensures governance and compliance standards are met.
• Oversight of Swiss Re's operating platform in the region.
• Coordinating group topics and issues in region and facilitating conflict resolutions.

This position will initially be based either in Cape Town or in Zurich. The expectation and long-term outlook is that the position holder will move to Nairobi.

About You

• University degree or equivalent with a strong business and financial acumen required
• At least 7 years' of relevant experience in the reinsurance, insurance and/or financial services industry with proven market knowledge and reputation
• Experience in high growth markets and knowledge of the market required
• Entrepreneurial and strategic thinker focused on delivering results
• Excellent sales, negotiating, influencing and presentation skills
• Experienced working in a cross-functional team and with people across different cultures
• Open-minded, trustworthy and enthusiastic
• Performs well under pressure and when facing ambiguity
• Proficiency in English, additional language is an advantage
• Flexible and willing to travel within the region and overseas

Functional Area

Client Management